The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday passed a landmark bill prescribing life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of sexually assaulting or defiling a minor, in what lawmakers described as a decisive step toward safeguarding children from sexual predators.
The bill, which enjoyed overwhelming support on the floor of the red chamber, stipulates that any man or woman convicted of engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor will serve life imprisonment without the option of a fine.
Leading debate on the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North) urged his colleagues to treat defilement as a crime distinct from rape, insisting that minors lack the capacity to consent to sexual activity.
“For a minor, this is a child who cannot consent or otherwise, and whose life can be destroyed almost permanently. Those involved in defilement should face severe punishment,” Oshiomhole said.
“I initially proposed 20 years’ imprisonment without the option of a fine because of the gravity of this offence. We have seen heartbreaking cases of boys and girls under five and ten years old being defiled by adults,” he added.
However, the proposal for a 20-year sentence was rejected by the majority of senators, who argued that such a punishment was insufficient given the lifelong trauma victims endure.
Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) subsequently moved an amendment calling for life imprisonment as the minimum penalty for offenders, a motion that received unanimous backing.
“This is not just a crime; it is an abomination that destroys the innocence and future of our children,” Aliero declared. “We must send a strong message that anyone—man or woman—who defiles a child will spend the rest of their life behind bars.”
The bill’s passage marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s legal framework for child protection, as lawmakers seek to close gaps in the prosecution and punishment of sexual crimes against minors.
Human rights advocates have long called for stronger laws and stricter enforcement mechanisms to address the rising cases of child defilement across the country.
The bill will now proceed to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being transmitted to President Bola Tinubu for assent.
If signed into law, Nigeria will join other African nations, such as Kenya and South Africa, that have imposed life sentences for sexual offences involving children.
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